Guard-covering for the third rails of electric railways.



J. KRESS. GUARD COVERING FOR THE THIRD RAILS 015' ELECTRIC RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1908. 946,373.

I Hy. 3. WWI 1mm v gmewboz Patented Jan. 11,1910.

UNTTD STATE FFTQ.

JOHN KRESS, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN KREss, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at New Rochelle, in the county of W estchester andState of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGuard- Coverings for the Third Rail of Electric Railways, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to guard-coverings for the third rail of electricrailways, by which the rail is protected against snow and rain andaccidents are prevented, and more particularly to guard-coveringsembodying a fixed guard-plate, and a movable guardplate normally heldagainst the fixed guardplate and covering the rail, though movable awayfrom the fixed guard-plate by the contact-shoe.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved construction formounting and guiding the movable guard-plate, and also to improve themechanism by which said guard-plate is normally closed over the rail.

A further object of the invention is to provide simple means by whichsaid guardplate can be held away from the fixed guardplate if desired,so that the covering will be held open and the shoe can contact with therail without shifting the movable plate.

\Vith these ends in view the invention consists in the novel featuresand combinations of parts which will now be pointed out.

1n the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a transverse section through aguard-covering for third rails constructed in accordance with theinvention, the same being closed, Fig. 2 is a similar view showing howthe guard-covering is opened by the disk or other opening device carriedby the car, and Fig. 3 is a section on line 5, 5, of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in thedifferent figures.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a conduit, which is preferablyarranged alongside of the track, or which may form part of the conduitas arranged below the track-rails. The conduit is formed of a stationaryangular guard-plate a having an enlarged upper end vertically above thecenter of the third rail 7', and of a laterally movable guard-plate bwhich abuts normally against the enlarged end of the stationaryguardplate a and which is made U-shaped in crosssection and guided onthe upper horizontal portion of a guide-plate both the angularSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 27, 1908.

Patented J an. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 450,534.

plate a and the angular guide-plate Z2 being attached to the cross-tiesof the track. The guard-plate b is made to abut against the stationaryguard-plate a by the action of counterweights 10 which are applied tolevers Ifv that are pivoted by a cross-rod t inslots s in the side-wallsof metallic boxes cl having hinged lids al said levers being connectedby pivot-links Z with bolts passing through the guardplate b and movablein recesses at the underside of the guard-plate, as shown in Figs. 1 and2. The slots 5 cut in the sidewalls of each box are open at their upperends so that the crosshead t which rests in said slots, may be readilyset in position so as to form a pivotal support for the lever t. Accessto the freely suspended lever t is afforded by the hinged cover or lidof the box. The counterweights w are capable of adjustment on the leverst by means of holes h in the same and spring-keys A: passed through carsat the upper end of the counterweights and the holes. At the point wherethe pivot-link of the counterweight is connected with the guard-plate,each guardplate is substantially U-shaped in cross-section and formed ofthree portions: a portion or web extending below the guide-plate b, anintermediate portion extending upwardly from said lower portion adjacentto the edge of the guide-plate, and an upper portion or top-plate whichoverlaps the guide-plate b and by means of which, in connection with thelower portion or web of the guardplate, the latter is guided on theplate I). The bolt If connects the upper and lower webs of theguard-plate b. When it is desired to adjust the counterweight, the samecan be done very readily after the hinged lid or cover has been raised.

The stationary guard-plate a and the movable guard-plate b are made ofcertain lengths along the'straight portion of the track and provided atone or more intermediate points with the counterweighted leversdescribed, said weighted levers serving to normally hold the guard-platein abutting or closed position against the stationary guard-plate. Themeans by which the movable guard-plate is separated fromthe stationaryguard-plate, so as to give the required space between them for the freepassage of the supporting shank of the contact-shoe, are constituted bydisks 6 which are supported on the outside of the truck, preferably atopposite ends of the contactshoe. The disks turn readily on their axleswith a certain amount of lateral play so as to prevent any binding onthe guide-plate in passing around curves. lhe contact-shoe followsclosely after the opening-disk and forms contact with the third rail 1"in the i motion of the disks and contact-shoe in the f longitudinal slotformed between the stationary and laterally movable guard-plate. Assprings are altogether dispensed with, and counterweights used in placeof the same, the guard-covering is not liable to deterioration, but hasa permanent character and will function for a considerable length oftime provided that care is taken to keep the surface of the guide-platein good and clean condition. 'lhe guide-weight is provided at its upperend with a perforated eye Q01 which is engaged by a hook 4.0 at theinner side-wall of the inclosing boxes (Z, so that it is possible duringthe summer season 'to hang up the counterweight by the hook,

which is accomplished by opening the lid of the boxes and connecting thehook to the eye, whereby a slot between the stationary guard-plate andthe laterally moving guardplate is formed permanently and the lateralmotion of the guard-plate interrupted, permitting thereby the freepassage of the disk and shoe in the longitudinal slot between theguard-plates.

On straight lines of track the counterweights of the guard-plates areconnected at considerable distances so that a smaller number ofcounterweighted levers and protecting boxes is required. At curvedportions of the track shorter lengths of curved guardplates arerequired, in which case a greater number of counterweighted levers andboxes is required, one at each pivot connection between the sections ofthe laterally movable guard-plate.

My improved covering for third rails may be made and installed at acomparatively small cost, either when building the electric railway orafter the same has been built. It is specially adapted for use withelevated railways because it forms a protection against accidents aswell as against the interruption of traffic during the winter months.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. In a guard-covering for third rails, the combination, with ashiftable guard-plate, of a box having slots cut in the upper portionsof its side-walls, a counterweighted lever in said box having across-rod resting in said slots, and means connecting said lever withsaid guard-plate.

2. In a guard-covering for third rails, the combination, with ashiftable guard-plate, of a box having slots in the side-walls thereofopen at their upper ends, a cross-rod resting in said slots, acounterweighted lever connected with the cross-rod and pivotallysuspended in the box by means of the latter, and means connecting saidlever with said guard-plate.

3. A guard-covering for third rails, consisting of a conduit formed of astationary guard-plate and a laterally movable guardplate, a stationaryguide-plate on which the movable guard-plate is guided, counterbalancedlevers connected with said movable guard-plate and holding the samenormally in closed position against the stationary guard-plate,inclosing boxes for said counterweighted levers, and means in said boxesfor suspending said counterweighted levers and thereby holding thelaterally movable guard-plate out of contact with the stationaryguard-plate.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signedmy name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN KRESS.

Vitnesses PAUL GonPEL, HENRY J. SUHRBIER.

